centésimas

Centésimas are a fractional unit representing one hundredth of a whole. In decimal notation, the centésima corresponds to the second digit to the right of the decimal separator; the value of that digit times 0.01 gives the centésima component of the number. One centésima equals 0.01, so a number such as 0.56 contains 56 centésimas (0.56).

In practical terms, any fraction with denominator 100 can be expressed directly as centésimas. For example, 37/100 equals 37 centésimas and equals 0.37. Fractions with other denominators can be converted to centésimas by multiplying by 100; for instance, 3/20 equals 15 centésimas, since 3/20 = 0.15. The centésima concept is foundational to the decimal system, where digits after the decimal point represent tenths (décimas), hundredths (centésimas), thousandths (milésimas), and so on.

Centésimas are widely used in measurements, statistics, and everyday quantities, especially when expressing precision to two decimal places. In time, the term centésimas is used for centiseconds (centésimos de segundo), representing 1/100 of a second. In currency and pricing, amounts are commonly shown to two centésimas.

Linguistically, centésima (plural centésimas) denotes the hundredth part in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese. The concept is connected to the SI prefix centi-, meaning 10^-2, as seen in units like the centimeter. In many contexts, saying “two centésimas” or “com duas centésimas” refers to two digits after the decimal point, indicating a precision of two hundredths.

Overall, centésimas provide a standardized way to express quantities at the 1/100 scale within the decimal framework.